MEDICAGO.] LEGUMINOS^E. 89 



apiculate. Flowers g-^ in., in a short dense raceme, usually blue or 

 purple ; peduncles longer than the leaves, pedicels very short. Pod % in. 

 diain. DISTRIB. Europe, in cultivation only, naturalized in the U. States. 

 Perhaps only a form of M, falcata. 



: Annual or biennial. Pod indeldscent, reniform, tip coiled, smooth, \-seeded; 

 marginal nerve 0. 



2. M. lupuli'na, L.; procumbent, flowers in ovoid heads, pods reticu- 

 late. Black Medick. 



Waste places and fields ; ascends in the Lake district to 1,000 ft. ; fl. May- 

 Aug. Pubescent or glabrous, Stems 6-24 in., much branched. Leaflets 

 ^-4| in., obovate, toothed, apiculate ; petioles very short ; stipules ^-cordate. 

 l-'tv >.':< i-s % in., peduncles longer than tne petioles ; pedicels very short. Pods 

 |- in., black. DISTKIB. Europe, N. Africa, Siberia, W. Asia to India ; 

 introd. in N. America. 



*** Annual. Pod indehiscent, coiled into a closed helix, many-seeded; bordered 

 icitlt. tsjti.nes or tubercles; with a strong marginal nerve. (Stems prostrate. 

 Leaflets obovate or obcordate, toothed. Peduncles few-flowvred. Fliers 

 yellow; calyx-teeth subulate, incurved.) 



3. M. denticula ta, Willd. ; nearly glabrous, stipules laciniate, pod 

 Hat deeply reticulate with 2 or 3 coils and a double row of spines. 



E. and S. counties from York and Norfolk to Devon, naturalized elsewhere ; 



a denizen ? Watson; fl. May-Aug. Stem 6-24 in., furrowed. Leaflet* |-1 in. 



Floaers m -> umbellate, yellow ; pedicels very short. Pod | in. diam. 



DISTKIB. Mid. and S. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia to India ; introd. in 



N. America. 

 VAR. 1, denticula' ta proper ; spines subulate, half the diameter of the pod. 



YAR. 2, apicula'ta, \Villd. (sp.) ; spines of pod very short. 



4. M. macula ta, Sibthorp ; nearly glabrous, stipules ^-cordate 

 toothed, pod subglobose faintly reticulate with 3-5 coils and a double row 

 of long curved spines. 



Pastures and hedgebanks, from York and Durham southwards ; S. of Ireland, 

 doubtfully native ; fl. May-Aug. Stems 1-2 ft., numerous. Leaflets -1 in., 

 obovate obcordate or cuneate, with often a black central spot ; stipules 

 herbaceous ; petiole pilose. Flowers fa in., yellow. Pod % in. broad; margin 

 with 4 ridges. DISTKIB. Europe, N. Africa ; introd. in N. America. 



5. M. minima, L. ; downy, stipules 4-cordate faintly toothed, pod 

 subglobose faintly reticulate, with 4 or 5 coils and a double row of close- 

 set hooked spines. 



Sandy fields, rare ; E. counties, from Norfolk and Cambridge to Surrey, and 

 in Glamorgan ; fl. May-July. Stems 6-10 in., very many, rigid, prostrate. 

 L< iiflets ^-g in., from narrowly to very broadly obovate. Flowers % in. Pod 

 ^ in. diam., margin keeled. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



7. MELILO'TUS, Tourncfort. MELILOT. 



Annual or biennial, fragrant herbs. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, nerves 

 end ing in teeth ; stipules adnate to the peciole. Flowers in axillary 

 racernes, small, drooping, yellow or white ; bracts minute or 0. Calyx-teeth, 

 f, nearly equal. Petals very deciduous ; standard oblong ; keel shorter 

 than the wings, obtuse, not aduate to the stamens. Filaments not dilated 



